2019 Produttori Barbaresco Riserva Pora

Its Origins

"Proximity to the Tanaro River creates a unique microclimate for the Pora, a beautiful hill with West and South exposures, while the northern side of the hill is an abrupt bluff that drops into the river and where the famous white truffles can be find on season. Due to the proximity to the valley floor, Pora is relatively warm in the early morning hours, but breezy with slightly higher humidity through most of the day. Soil fertility is slightly higher here and this gives to the wine a smoother character, tannins are soft and the aromas always tend to open up in the early years of life. Pora is also one of the most historical vineyards in Barbaresco, as it was part of the property of Domizio Cavazza, the father of Barbaresco, who in 1894, founded the first Cantina Sociale. Produced as a single vineyard by Produttori del Barbaresco since 1967." It took a sympathetic local priest to realise the only way for the community of Barbaresco to survive, in the poverty of the late 1950's, was for the winemakers to form a co-operative. The first 19 members made their wine in the church basement, but it didn't take long for this idea to provide them with solvency as well as solidarity. Quality too, as a more secure income allowed the individual growers to maintain the high standards they aspired to. Over decades the co-operative grew to it's current membership of 52, during which time it also developed an extensive and almost bewildering array of single vineyard offerings. Until recently the traditional labelling and less-than-dynamic global marketting strategy meant Produttori was strictly the preserve of experts. Nowadays however, as the world trawls Piedmont for both it's obvious and it's hidden gems, Produttori's delightfully backward labelling and proud obsession with qualtity are revealing it as one of the world's most profoundly undervalued wine treasures.